Spaghetti Sauce (or Red Gravy or Pasta/Lasagna/Ravioli Sauce)

Whatever name you want to give this sauce is fine with me. I just call it a huge pot of delicious goodness. The recipe for the meatballs, featured in the picture above, is also on the blog. I felt the sauce deserved its own post so here we go. A word of caution here: This makes a HUGE pot of sauce. I cooked this in my Le Creuset 9 quart Dutch oven and with the addition of 31 meatballs, it was filled to the brim. You can certainly cut this recipe in half, but while you're cooking why not go ahead and make a full recipe and divide and freeze portions for upcoming meals?

1 T. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 sweet green peppers, chopped

2 T. finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup red wine

3 large cans of either crushed or pureed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano added

2 small cans tomato paste (plus 2 cans filled with water)

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. Tone's spicy spaghetti seasoning

In a LARGE Dutch oven over medium heat, pour olive oil and add onion and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Add garlic and let cook about a minute, stirring constantly.

Add red wine and let it cook for about 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.

Then add the remaining ingredients, stirring well after each addition.

Lower heat to barely simmering and let sauce cook for at least 2 hours. If you are making the meatballs to serve with the sauce, drop them in as they are seared. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy!